


Changing

by RumplesDagger



Category: SwanQueen - Fandom, ouat
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Coming Out, Domestic Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Emma Swan, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Torture, M/M, sqsupernova
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:00:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26283070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RumplesDagger/pseuds/RumplesDagger
Summary: In light of Regina going Missing, Emma Swan comes into realization of her own feelings
Relationships: Evil Queen | Regina Mills & Emma Swan, Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Emma Swan, Regina/Emma, SwanQueen
Comments: 7
Kudos: 48





	Changing

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Changing](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/678604) by Mr. Gold. 



> This story was inspired off of this fan art called Changing https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uC7wo6IAXAD792OEqIfFw6jsyckclVZe/view

Everything was Blurry, echoic, cold, a chilling breeze rifled her skin and through her clothes. Yet it sounded and smelled like a forest. Branches blowing in the wind, creaking around her. 

The world seemed to spin as voices echoed, and there was a harsh stinging hum in her ears. “Regina!” she heard a male voice calling out to her.

“Robin?” She couldn’t make out any figures. Everything was spinning, Regina felt dizzy and confused when She heard Henry’s childlike yell. “MOM?” 

“HENRY!” She opened her eyes and discovered that she was in a forest, surrounded by trees. The Grass was yellow and the sky was bright, the atmosphere oddly though was cold. Fallen logs and Sticks and leaves trickled the forest floor. Yet not a single Bird could be heard…. 

“Regina,” a voice rasped somewhere behind her. It sounded desperate, almost pleading.

Regina spun around. “Gold?” As she turned, she felt a sudden, sharp sting in her shoulder. With that, she snapped awake. The Forest and the haze and voices of her family fading out as they were the result of a subconscious dream haze caused by the heavy dose of chloroform that had been used to knock her out. She became aware of a thick cloth stuffed into her mouth and a bandana tied around it, tightly cleave-gagging her. Feeling slowly began to return to her body. She could feel a tight rope around her wrists, cords layered and wrapped and tied off, with a knot in the middle around the back of a chair. An additional thick rope was wrapped around her body, holding her tightly to the chair. Her ankles were also tied together and pulled taut under the chair. A rope pulled them up and then fastened to her wrists, holding her hogtied to a chair.

“Where the hell am I?” The queen began to struggle. She looked around, but all she could see of her surroundings was a large and dark room. She could guess that she was in a warehouse of some sort, but how did she get here? Who in their right mind… She tried to poof away, but she couldn’t. Her magic wasn’t working. What’s wrong with me?

Panicking inwardly, she began to thrash around. She tugged at her legs and her hands and began rocking the chair violently to break free.

“Well, that’s enough, Your Majesty. Wouldn’t want to hurt yourself before things get dicey, now, would you?” Regina stopped moving. She looked up, wide-eyed, as Killian Jones emerged from the shadows. 

His grin was smug as ever as he eyed her restrained form up and down. “Tinkerbell gave me a little pixie dust. Looks like it was just enough to apprehend you.” He walked towards her. Pressing his hook against her cheek and gently pulled the gag off her mouth, letting it drop to her neck. “You can spit out that cloth filling your mouth,” he said. His face peered into her own, a frown etching his features as his green eyes remained Emotionless. 

Regina leaned down, spat out the extra wad that filled her mouth, and snapped, “What the hell do you want Jones? If Emma finds out you’ve taken me, she won’t like that you have been lying to her for the last two months about changing and becoming a better person and not being a selfish pirate anymore whatever lies you are feeding her!!” 

She gasped as Killian slapped her face with his good hand. “That’s why we’re here. Swan and I went on a date and all she could think about was how down you’ve been!” He scowled. “I don’t understand why she’s so obsessed with you and your happiness, but your sulking about Robin Hood and ignoring Henry isn’t helping the damn problem!”

Regina began to laugh she was amused by his insecurity but also very nervous he was aboutto hurt her some more. “So, you’re jealous? Is that what this is? You’re going to hurt me because Emma is worried about me? Are you really this insecure, Captain?” Killian Jones glared at Regina. Unexpectedly, he threw a spin kick at Regina’s chair, knocking her clean over so she fell and landed harshly on her elbow. Regina yelped in agony. Her breathing escalated as she processed the pain. 

Hook let her lie there a moment while he went to fetch something. “I brought an old friend with us,” he said ominously, and he walked away in a huff.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Emma Swan entered Regina’s office around 11 AM for their regular lunch break together. Today, she had brought tomato soup and grilled cheese to go, along with two bottles of root beer. Ever since getting back from New york city, Eating lunch with Regina just felt right. Like a moment of familiarity for the both of them.

“Regina?” she asked cautiously. Her hands were full, so she used her body to push the door open. But the office was empty. “Oh…” she said softly, caught off guard. She didn’t know why Regina wasn’t there. 

Setting the food down on the desk, Emma went ahead and called Regina’s cell phone. No response. “That’s not like her.” Puzzled, Emma scrolled through her contacts. She paused on Henry’s number, and texted him. Henry, do you know where your mother is? She hit send and blinked, looking around the office. “I wonder…” 

She raised her hand for a moment, but it was shaking a little, and she felt trepidation at what she was about to do. “I can’t.” She lowered her hand in frustration. She was sure that she would lose control of her powers if she attempted to do what she was thinking. Especially after her last experience with magic. 

She glanced at her phone again and shook her head. Henry hadn’t answered yet. Annoyed, she left the office and headed back out to her patrol car. She slipped into the driver’s seat, considering her options. Either Regina is at home– But that was unlikely, far-fetched at this hour. Or she’s in her vault. But why would she be there? 

“If I could just trust my magic…” she said regretfully. 

No, she decided. She was going to have to bother the imp for this. She parked in front of Gold’s shop soon after and headed for the front door. “Gold?” The blonde sheriff adjusted her red jacket as she entered it. 

“Yes?” Mr. Gold looked up and blinked, startled. He was standing behind the counter, fixing a watch. The gears were all strung out on a white cloth atop the glass counter. His blazer was removed and sleeves were slightly rolled up, and his tie was tucked under a green apron, resting against his black collared shirt.

“Ah, Miss Swan.” He smiled at her. “I heard about your little…incident…at the sheriffs’ office. You blew your own wall out and unnerved your parents, didn’t you?” 

Emma frowned. “I don’t want to talk about it.” 

“Of course not.” Gold smiled again. “What brings you my way today?” 

“Could you use your little locator spell thingie and find Regina for me?” 

Gold stopped tinkering and stared. “You can send her a text message,” he suggested, looking oddly at her.

Emma scuffed her boots. “She’s not answering. Neither is Henry.” 

Gold sighed. “Henry is rightfully mad at everyone right now. I wouldn’t expect him to answer you right away,” he said. 

Emma stared at him, baffled. “What?”  
Gold waved his hand. “He’s a teenager recovering his father’s murder, and both his mothers are ignoring him for their boyfriends. Give him time. He will understand eventually. Children do come around,” Gold said gently. 

Emma stared, slightly guilty. “You’re so right, I don’t mean to ignore him.” She frowned at Gold. “How would you–” 

“He came to me the other night, and asked me to wipe his memories so he could leave,” Gold said. “Don’t worry. I refused to help him.” 

Emma was speechless. She felt almost heartbroken. “Oh, my god. Poor Henry. I need to talk to him.” 

She grabbed her phone, but Gold raised his hand. “No, don’t. He can’t know that I told you. Let him feel his emotions right now. He’s processing. It’s part of grieving. He’s a child that needs time to learn and mature.” He assured her, “It’s all right. I talked him down from doing anything foolish.” He swiftly changed the topic. “Now, you can’t find Regina?” 

“Yes.” Emma’s response was quiet, still in shock from Gold’s revelation. 

Gold pondered for a moment. “And I take it you’re afraid to use your powers to find her.” 

“Yes,” Emma murmured, looking down. 

Gold let out a sigh. “Then follow me,” he said. He led Emma to the back room of his shop, stopping in front of the globe that Cora had given him. “There are two ways that I could do this. One is experimental, and the other is a little more complicated.” He shrugged. “And I’m sure that neither of us want the experimental version,” he said, amused, and reached into a drawer near the globe to produce an old cloak of Regina’s. 

“Where’s Belle?” Emma asked, suddenly noticing that the brunette wasn’t present. 

“I assume she’s at home doing whatever she likes to do when she isn’t around me. I think she has a lot of self discovery she needs to do,” Gold explained, “So I’m trying to give her space to figure out who she is outside of our relationship.” 

He raised his hand, elevating Regina’s old cloak in the air. With his other hand, he snapped.

Immediately, the cloak turned into silver specks of dust, and Gold waved his hand, channeling them into the globe. He peered into it and motioned for Emma to come look.

“She’s not in town,” Gold said, startled. “Why did she leave town?” 

He looked at Emma, searching her face for an answer. But he could tell that she was as clueless as he was. He pulled out a piece of paper and wrote a location, using the knowledge that the spell had imbued into him. “She’s in an abandoned warehouse thirty miles from here, outside of Portland, Maine,” he said softly, bewildered by the information. 

He turned back to Emma. “Miss Swan, if you want help controlling your powers, I do have an option for you,” he said. 

Emma shook her head, uncomprehending, as she reached for the paper. “Consider what?” 

“I know a spell that can get rid of them once and for all,” he said sincerely. “That is, if you want the gift of a savior.” 

Emma snatched the paper from his hand. “I don’t know what I want to do about my magic. Right now, I just need to find Regina.” 

Gold nodded. “Of course,” he said gravely. “My offer stands.”

Emma read the address. “This doesn’t feel right,” she said, and she hesitated for a moment, uncertain, before she met Gold’s eyes again. “Gold…” 

Gold read her expression and straightened. “You don’t want to go alone,” he guessed.

“No, I don’t,” Emma admitted 

Without a moment’s hesitation, Gold removed his apron. “We can take my car,” he said.

Emma raised an eyebrow. “But your car isn’t here.” 

Gold stared. “What? Of course it’s here. I drove it this morning.” He went for the back door of the shop and opened it to an empty, dusty lot. “What? Where’s my car?” he demanded angrily. He stormed out of the shop in a fury to look around.

Emma emerged behind him. “Oh boy,” she said. “Okay, so your car was stolen.” She shook her head. “We’ll figure that out next. Let’s get Regina,” she said decisively, shutting the door to the pawn shop. 

Gold kicked the wall in anger. “Where is my car?” he roared, but all he got for his anger was a stubbed toe. 

“We’ll find it, Gold, come on.” Emma led him to the squad car. “Don’t forget your cane, Gold, you can’t walk in the real world.” 

Gold didn’t listen at first. He was still staring at the empty lot in seething anger. After a moment, he turned with a hiss of frustration and poofed his cane into his hand. 

Once Gold was in the car, Emma turned on the sirens and began to race toward the town line.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………  
The world was spinning again for Regina. She had bit her lip when she smacked her head on the cement floor as her chair hit the ground. Pain wracked her entire body and she was just trying to surface outside of the throbbing. 

Killian wheeled in a large gray machine. Regina could hardly focus her eyesight on it before closing her eyes to focus on breathing. Much to her relief, he picked up her chair and jostled her upright again. 

Regina choked out, “Oh my god. Killian, hurting me doesn’t fix Emma worrying about me, though I don’t understand why she cares. She has you and Henry and her parents and Life is So great for her right now! She has No reason to look back at me…” 

Killian settled the machine beside her and carefully set the clamps on either side of Regina’s face. “You remember this with Greg, right?” he asked. 

Regina sucked in her breath. “Where did you find this machine again? What’s it to you that Emma is worried about me?” She began to squirm again in her ropes in a futile attempt to prevent the pirate from connecting her to the machine again. “This resolves nothing, you ruthless pirate!” she yelped.

Killian slapped her face, sending the world spinning again. “No, this doesn’t, but watching you actually suffer is worth it,” he said softly. “Because Gold turned my dark side back on with a cursed hand. And I begged for my hook back, but the result still lingers. Emma deserves to be happy with me. Not obsessed with your drama with Robin Hood.” He scowled as he headed for the switch and cranked it up. 

Regina screamed in agony as the electricity soared through her head and body.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..  
As Emma drove across the town line, she felt Gold tense up. She knew the feeling of magic leaving his body was not a comfortable feeling by any standard. “Does it hurt?” she asked.

“What hurts?” he said, letting his breath go as he turned to look at her. 

“Crossing the town line for you. Does it hurt?” 

“Yes, it does. Quite a bit, actually,” he murmured. “It’s like feeling a heavy pressure push you down as all strength just…evaporates from your body. You suddenly feel weighty and off balance. There's a sharp tingle through your fingers and feet as the magic drains out. It’s not a good feeling,” he admitted with a whisper in his tone. “Once you are more in tune with your own magick, You’ll probably feel it too.” 

He looked at Emma, a knowing half-smile twitching at his lips. “So Miss Swan,” he said. “You're not spending time with Killian right now, you're struggling with your powers and yet…you are more worried about Regina doing something abnormal like leaving town.” He paused. “Are you starting to love her?” he asked, a gentle probe. “Not to be inquiring.” 

Emma jolted, the car jerking as she stared at Gold. ‘No! No, I’m not falling in love with her,” she exclaimed. “That’s insane. I’m not gay.” She turned back to the road, her brow furrowed. 

“Indeed not?” Gold raised his eyebrows. “There’s really no universal word for such a thing,” he mused. “But the world– all worlds,” he corrected himself, “Have this problem in their assumption that everyone only loves the opposite gender…that same gender attraction is impossible to consider.” 

Emma's eyes went wide. “Okay I am definitely not having this conversation with you, of all people.” 

“Why not?” Gold said simply. “Who else are you going to discuss it with? The pirate?” he joked lightly. 

“No! I love Killian. He’s my life. He’s my …. Person! “ Emma struggled to think a proper word for what Hook actually is to her… He wasn’t a partner yet… she sighed “Regina though,” Emma hesitated. “She…” 

“Yes?” 

Emma stopped speaking. Honestly, she wasn’t even sure what it was that they had. A sisterly love? 

No, that didn’t feel right. But it wasn’t anything as simple to define as friendship, either. It was far deeper than that. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “I don’t have any answers on what we have. But it’s not what you think!” 

“I’m sure I’m mistaken.” Gold leaned back in his seat and folded his arms, looking at the GPS. 

Emma began to slow down, glancing at the GPS herself before turning to Rumplestiltskin. “I can’t indulge the notion that I’m gay, because Neal…” 

Gold looked sharply at her. “Don’t bring my son into this,” he said, shaking his head. “He is not your excuse to use against your deepest self. Don’t ever make him that, either. He doesn’t deserve that and neither do you,” he stated. “As I was saying. Universal assumption is real and everyone falls into its lie.” 

“But I loved your son,” Emma said helplessly. 

“I’m not implying you didn’t,” Gold explained. “I’m implying that you may not have been attracted to him. You were also in a desperate place. You were lonely, friendless, insecure, and starving. He just happened to be there.” He leaned back in his seat. “Circumstances and assumptions based on societal pressures does not mean that you are without a doubt straight, There is Bisexuality” 

Gold shrugged. “Bae was on another level as a human being,” he said, his eyes turning distant as he remembered his son. “He was not like any of us. I knew that even when he was little. He was always going to leave me. I knew that, too.” He said it regretfully, resigned to so much of what had happened to his son. “I’m sorry that I was the one who made the decision for him before he was ready. But it’s irrelevant to my suggestion that you may have deeper feelings for Regina.” 

“No, I’m not,” Emma snapped, frustrated, and she struggled for another objection. “Regina is Henry’s mother!” she pointed out. “This is more about Henry’s happiness and safety than anything between us.” 

Gold shook his head. “Keep telling yourself that,” he said serenely. “Maybe one day, you might actually believe it.” 

Emma sputtered, flustered. Her thoughts were spinning now. Was she really into Hook? Or was she just going through the motions because he’d showed such zealous interest in her first? Was she truly starting to fall in love with Regina? She wasn’t sure. Her emotions were now on fire, and she didn’t appreciate Gold igniting that flame. He was a haplessly nosy creature. 

“Kaien.” Gold suddenly spoke again.

Emma glanced at him. “What?” 

“His name was Kaien,” Gold said, in a reverie. “Kai-yen. Kaien Cross. He was a vampire hunter from over 150 years ago. He probably did more for me than…than anyone in my life before him or after,” Gold murmured. “Just because I’m with Belle, it doesn’t mean that I am straight…..” 

He sighed. “Loneliness is a forceful emotion, Miss Swan. It drives us to situations that are less than ideal. it’s a very powerful current that never truly leaves us. It’s always going to be constant and steady. And its presence is always going to dominate when we live in situations that make us more vulnerable,” Gold said, folding his fingers together. 

Emma shook her head, “No, I’m not gay,” she said again. “I don’t love Regina. I just…”

“Yes?” Gold prodded. 

“I need to think,” Emma said, holding up a hand. “Just stop talking.” 

“Or what?” Gold couldn’t resist a sly grin. 

Emma scowled at him. “Or I’ll leave you on the side of the road and come back for you after I get Regina.” 

Gold chuckled. “Alright then.” He leaned back into the passenger seat once more and closed his eyes. He needed to rest. Soon, he was going to need his strength. 

Emma’s fury was building, but it was no longer toward Gold. Instead, she was frustrated and angry with herself. Who was she kidding here? Did she really love Regina? Was this a new development, or had she always been gay? The questions were flooding her mind now as her thoughts went back to her moments with Lily.

“Turn right at Cargarey Hill. Turn right in six feet.” Emma glanced at the GPS and slowed to make the turn. “You will reach Densington Warehouse in one minute.” 

Emma’s grip tightened on the steering wheel. “What is she even doing out here, Gold?” 

Gold opened his eyes, watching the line of trees part to reveal the large abandoned place ahead. “Was this another canning factory?” he asked. 

Emma nodded. “Canned corn, I think. Densington Corn.” 

Gold’s nose wrinkled in slight disgust. “Who would eat such a thing?” 

“Well, when you’re starving, a can of corn is honestly the tastiest thing on this planet.” Emma said, tossing Gold a knowing glance. “You were a peasant, weren’t you? I’m sure you know what it’s like to be hungry.” 

“Indeed I do,” Gold admitted reluctantly. “Not a particularly happy memory that I like to re-visit.” 

As Emma drove past an empty guard booth covered in cobwebs, she shook her head. “This place hasn’t been functioning in years. I wonder what got it shut down.” 

“Health code violations?” Gold suggested, his look of disgust yet to leave his face. 

Emma rolled her eyes. “Stop judging it, or I will make you eat a can.” 

Gold narrowed his eyes at her. “And how do you intend to do that?” 

Emma smirked. “Belle has your dagger, doesn’t she?” 

Gold took in a breath. “Ah, yes. Yes, she does. But you wouldn’t…” 

“Try me.” But Emma’s voice was playful. She pulled into the closest parking spot and got out, tucking her gun into her waistband, just in case. “Come on, Golden Log. Let’s go find our queen.” 

Our queen. Gold tilted his head and smiled, slightly proud of Emma. She was maturing as a person so fast. Gripping his cane, the man got out of the car. He was long out of practice walking with a cane. It took him a moment to re-adjust to using it, as his useless ankle rolled at the slightest bit of weight placed upon it. 

Closing the passenger door, the older man motioned Emma to lead the way. Emma watched him with sympathy. She didn’t fully know why Gold had a bad ankle and she’d never pushed to ask why, but she could tell it was a very old injury by each painful step. 

Gold stepped up onto the sidewalk with difficulty. He had to consider his weight distribution so that he wouldn’t hurt himself. Once he was up, Emma turned to lead the way into the warehouse. “Gold, you aren’t armed. Stay behind me.” 

Gold snorted. “You’re the town’s savior, but you are certainly not my personal savior.”

Emma spun around to glare at him. “Then you can sit in the car.” 

Gold stopped walking and blinked earnestly. “Stay behind you, crystal clear.” 

Emma bit back a smile, her eyes focusing on the building as she searched for an entrance. “I might have to break a window,” she said, her forehead wrinkling as she considered her options. 

“Well, how did Regina get inside?” Gold asked, and Emma shook her head, out of answers. 

They turned a corner to the loading docks, and Emma stopped in her tracks. “Gold…it’s your car.” There, parked in the downward slope of the factory loading dock, it sat, just under the perch of Large roll out load doors. 

Gold limped over to stand beside Emma and gritted his teeth. “What the hell? Why would Regina steal my car?” he demanded, his anger rising. 

Emma put a hand against his chest. “Don’t go to it,” she said quickly. “It might be rigged.”

“With what?” 

“A bomb,” Emma said, and Gold froze. “Listen. Bounty hunting…you see things, sometimes. I don’t think that Regina took your car, you can’t be too careful. Don’t go near it until I’ve looked at it.” She set her eyes grimly on a door on the loading docks. “But first let’s get inside.” 

She made her way to the door and tested the knob. To their surprise, it opened without a key. “We’re in.” Emma cocked her gun and led the way inside. 

And a moment later, the air was full of Regina’s painful screams.

“Regina?” Emma exclaimed, wildly looking around the dark hallway. “Gold, stay put!” With that, Emma broke into a run, kicking down doors and frantically trying to find the source of the screaming.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Regina was now once again on the ground. She’d been thrown onto her back when the chair had tipped over backward, and she stared at the ceiling as Hook kicked the metal frame and sent a new wave of pain through her. 

“I don’t understand why she’s so worried about your happiness over her own. You sure as hell haven’t earned it.” 

Regina coughed, her sharp tongue the only weapon she still had. “And you have?” 

Hook cranked the switch, sending another round of electricity through Regina’s body. 

Regina screamed again, and regained control of her voice to spit out another retort. “My god, you are a sadistic, insecure little shit. We should have let Gold kill you when you first got here with my mother.” Hook tensed and reached for the switch again when Emma’s voice echoed across the warehouse. 

“Regina? Hook?” Hook spun around as Emma appeared in the large, empty production space. She ran over to them in shock. “Killian? What the hell is this?” 

The pirate had no response as Emma went for him. She slammed her fist into his face, sending his head spinning. “Regina? Are you okay? Oh, my god. Killian! What are you doing?” 

Regina began to laugh, coughing out a little blood as she did. “Your pirate mascot is jealous , Miss Swan. Apparently you care too much about me and not enough about him.” 

“What?” Emma was appalled. 

Meanwhile, Gold had only just managed to limp his way into the room. He shook his head at the scene, as Emma picked up Regina’s chair and began to disconnect the wires from her. “Regina, I am so sorry. I can’t believe that he would do this.” She glared at the pirate, her eyes burning. 

“Emma, I can explain–” 

“NO!” Emma stared at Hook, seething. “No, there is no explanation for why you would kidnap and torture a woman! This woman!” Her fingers grazed Regina’s forehead as she disconnected a wire from it, her hand trembling with fury. “How could you? How dare you!” 

“Emma, it’s not like that,” Hook protested feebly. His cheek was beginning to purple. “I would never–” 

“Save it!” Emma snarled. She finished untying Regina, careful to not hurt her, and turned away from Hook. 

Regina struggled to get to her feet. “He did something to stop my magic. But I can walk–”

Emma shook her head. “No, no, Regina,” she said gently, brushing Regina’s hair from where it had been flattened to her face. “We aren’t in Storybrooke. We are in the Land Without Magic. Just shh, I am going to take you to the hospital.” With that she lifted Regina, one arm under her knees and another at her neck, bridal style. 

Regina objected, but her voice was weak. “Put me down, Miss Swan, I’ll be…” Regina began to zone out. She’d been zapped too many times, and her whole body stung. She was shaking, and she could feel intense shivers up and down her spine. “I’ll be fine,” she managed at last.

Emma carried her with ease. “I got you.” She kicked Killian in the shin as she passed him. “We are so through, Killian,” she said, disgusted. 

As she turned away from him, she spotted Gold limping over. “Gold.” She passed Regina to him carefully, smiling down at the other woman as Gold dropped his cane and leaned back against the wall for support. “Just hold her for a minute.” 

Once Regina was safely out of her arms, Emma whipped around and aimed her gun at Hook. “I’ve got half a mind to hurt you.” She shot just past his leg, the sound of the bang echoing across the warehouse floor. 

Hook jumped. “Emma, I’m–” Emma shot again, this time toward his ankle. “You’re lucky I won’t murder you!” she snarled. She took a step closer and popped a spin kick, landing it on his head and sending him spinning to the floor. 

“Emma, don’t do this!” Hook pleaded, bloody and bruised. “We were in love!” 

Emma holstered her gun and Hook brightened. But instead of retreating, she rolled him onto his stomach and handcuffed his hand and hook behind him. She then unscrewed his hook. “I can’t believe I didn’t see right through you sooner!” she growled. “Things were just starting to make sense!” 

She kicked his side again before Gold cleared his throat. “Miss Swan,” he said carefully, wary of getting caught in her outburst. “I think Regina’s passed out.” Regina’s body was limp in his arms . 

Emma threw Hook’s hook across the warehouse before she walked back to Gold. “I need you to take Hook to the station until I decide what to do with him.” 

She retrieved Regina from Mr. Gold, cradling her in her arms.

Gold nodded. “Okay,” he agreed. “You can trust me. “ 

“I know I can,” Emma said, and she meant it after the trip they’d just had together. She grew serious. “Don’t kill him yet, though. I mean it.“ 

Gold nodded grudgingly.

Emma offered him a smile. “Thank you,” she said. “At least we found your car. I can’t believe that Hook stole your car to kidnap Regina.” She shook her head, her body still shaking in anger, and she turned back to the unconscious woman in her arms. “Oh, Regina, baby, I am so sorry,” she whispered on her way back to her patrol car, holding her tightly. 

Gold limped towards Hook’s fallen form as he seized his cane again. “Well, dearie, that didn’t go as you expected, did it?” 

Hook was seething through his teeth. “This isn’t what either of you think it is,” he ground out. 

“Oh, no? No, I think you were quite clear. Good job.” Gold smirked as he stopped short of the pirate’s fallen form. “Get up.” 

Killian sneered up at Gold. “How can I? My arms are cuffed.” 

Gold didn’t budge. “I am not going to help you up. Do it yourself– and actually, this is most convenient for me. Once we cross the town line…” Gold smiled coldly. “I am going to need your heart for a little something.” 

Hook swallowed.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………  
Emma gently set Regina down in the back seat, letting her rest across it, before she closed the passenger door and rushed to the driver’s seat. She raced for Storybrooke, desperate to get back to a place where she might be able to get Regina medical attention. 

An intensity settled in her soft eyes as she realized how right Gold had been. She did have feelings for Regina, although she wasn’t quite sure what that might mean yet. All of her worries about Regina’s happiness…the comfortable relationship that they’d been building together…it all meant so much more to Emma than she’d ever expected.

Forty minutes later, she was bursting through the hospital door with Regina in her arms. The hospital staff hurried to take her from Emma, and twenty minutes later, Regina was safely checked into a hospital room with an IV in her arm. 

After she’d spoken to the hospital and requested that they keep this confidential, Emma closed the curtain and took a seat beside Regina’s bed. “Regina…I don’t know what this is, but I am so sorry that it happened. It’s my fault for not breaking up with Hook sooner before his feelings built up to this point of desperation.” Emma swallowed. “I don’t fully understand how I feel yet. But I am willing to figure things out with you and…and Henry…” She rested a hand on Regina’s arm. “You’re my family now.” 

Tears began to stream down Emma’s cheeks as she exposed her deepest feelings, entirely vulnerable. She put a hand on Regina’s wrist and rubbed it gently. 

Slowly, Regina’s eyes flickered open. She could feel the bandages wrapped around her head and the IV in her arm. “Miss Swan?” she asked, looking up at Emma.

The blonde startled in relief. “Regina,” she said in a rush. “I am so sorry he did that to you, and that he used me as a reason to–” 

Regina shook her head. “Miss Swan, if I even cared an inkling about Hook hurting me over his insecurities about you, you think I’d still be here and not out there murdering his ass myself? Please, I have magic. I don’t need…whatever this is” she stared at the IV . “But it does feel good. The saline is definitely doing its work on damaged nerves.” 

She smiled up at Emma as Emma released a nervous chuckle. “I just wanted to be sure you lived.” 

“Well I definitely did that,” Regina assured her. “You dealt with Hook?” 

“Yeah. Well, Gold is.” 

Regina nodded, satisfied. “Well, that’s the last time we’ll be seeing Captain Idiot then,” she said. “I’m sure he’s dead now.” 

Emma shook her head. “I told Gold to put him in a jail cell.” 

“You actually trusted him to do it?” Regina asked skeptically. 

“Well, of course I…” Emma sighed. “He knows better. If I go in there and Hook isn’t in a cell, then I’ll arrest Gold myself.” 

Regina laughed. “Now you’re finally talking like a sheriff.” 

Emma smiled as Regina reached for Emma’s hand, wrapping both of her hands around it. “I don’t blame you for what happened, Emma. It isn’t your fault that he got jealous. He’s a pirate. They’re zealous little creatures for their gold– no pun intended.” She let out a weak laugh before she grew somber. “But I will say this,” she said, and she held Emma’s hand tightly. “He is definitely not the man for you. You could do so much better.” The words were tentative but earnest, and Emma could hear the waves of affection that accompanied them. 

She gazed lovingly at Regina, her heart swelling as she thought about Regina’s words. “You are absolutely right,” she said, and she caught Regina’s eyes and held them. “I can do better.” She offered Regina a secret smile, her hand still warm in the other woman’s grasp.


End file.
